Products We Use
Enclosure
Husky 54-gallon Tote (for hatchlings up to 6 months old)
Homemade Tortoise Table (for babies up to 1-1.5 years old)
Humid Hides
Sterilite 2.5 Quart "flip top" box (for 1-2 hatchlings)
Sterilite 6 Quart box (for 3 or more hatchlings)
Hatchling Care
Daily Soaking
We soak all of our hatchlings every morning in warm water for 30 minutes. This helps keep them hydrated and maintains healthy kidney function.
Food and Water
A variety of food is provided, with something different for breakfast each morning. Food is provided after soaking, and is left for part of the day so hatchlings can graze.
Various items we feed include: natural weeds and flowers that we grow from seed, Mazuri (moistened), spineless prickly pear cactus (and cactus fruit), and "store bought" organic leafy greens (dandelion, romaine lettuce, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, escarole, endive, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, and radicchio).
Fresh water is provided using a small terra cota plant saucer. It's shallow to prevent drowning, and wide enough to crawl into, should the hatchlings wish to soak themselves.
Calcium and Supplements
We keep a cuttlebone in every enclosure for babies to nibble on when desired.
Calcium carbonate powder is lightly sprinkled on top of their breakfast once a month. We buy ours from Kapidolo Farms.
We also use Mediterranean Graze twice a week, which we get from TortRescue
Enclosure Maintenance
We spot clean our enclosures daily, usually while hatchlings are soaking. We remove any feces and uneaten crumbs of food.
Misting
We use a pump sprayer to mist each enclosure (some daily, others weekly). This imitates a light rain.
Handling
We only handle our hatchlings when soaking them, cleaning their enclosures, or the occasional visit to the Vet when needed.
We otherwise leave them alone in their habitats to prevent stressing them out.
Make Your Own Humid Hide
Materials Needed
- Plastic container. (We buy ours at Home Depot).
- Ruler
- Sharpie marker
- Cutting blade
- Sphagnum moss
Mark and Cut the Entrance
Use the ruler and Sharpie marker to draw the entrance to be cut.
Using the cutting blade, slice gently along the marked line.
BE CAREFUL. Not only are you using a sharp blade, but plastic can crack.
Fill with Sphagnum Moss
Take handfuls of sphagnum moss, wet in warm water, squeeze any excess water, and place in the humid hide until it's almost full.
Place Into Enclosure
Keep the sphagnum moss moist and warm at all times.
Easy Access
These particular containers are great because of their pop-open lids, allowing for easy access to tortoises, maintenance of the moss, and cleaning.
Our Tortoise Tables
Made using OSB Sheathing boards. The inside is coated in Flex Seal (to waterproof and prevent warping and molding). We lined the inner walls with vinyl tiles for extra waterproofing and provide a nicer look.
All the needed components are added: substrate, water dish, humid hide, thermometer/hygrometer readers, lights, CHE, camera, and random decor.
Tables are set up side-by-side to share the UVB light.
We've added a shower curtain over the top of the tables to maintain the enclosed style habitat. Hot & humid!!!